Frequently Asked Questions

What does Schmooru Mean?

Now bear with me folks — we’re a bunch of Californians here and yes its true, our offices are on the Skywalker ranch — so consider Schmooze. Schmoozing for so many is the worst part about trying to make your way as a creative person — you just want to get to the work at hand — right? So Schmoo is the darker part of the logo. In the word guru — GU is DARK, and RU is LIGHT — a good guru takes you from the darkness and into the light. Schmooru — takes you from the dark part of the creative business — into the RU — into the light — where things can be created. Do we still have you? This is the gospel truth inside the name.

Together We Build Media?

That’s our tagline, not a question — but something I often tell people is that I want to fill you in on a little secret. Our tagline is really written the way Barbara Walters would SAY IT. It really means “Together REBUILD Media” — we’re ever so slightly insurgent that we put our real tagline burried in the FAQ — but feel free to say this out loud to friends at neighborhood barbecues, block parties and turtlenecked luncheons.

Why should I join Schmooru? What’s in it for me?

At Schmooru you are more than a freelance producer, you are a member of a living, breathing, growing co-op. We’re all in this together so not only are we working towards making you money and getting your name out there, but we’re working towards the betterment of the community as a whole. You will be working in a fast-paced exciting environment doing what you love and making some money while you’re at it.

Why is Schmooru different than any other site?

Schmooru is more than a marketplace for producers, where you’re stuck endlessly searching for employers, gigs and work. We have a system in place to know who you are, where you live, what equipment you have and what your strongest suits are so we can bring the best projects to you.

How do I get paid?

At Schmooru we strive to pay you a fair, market value price in a timely fashion. We are dependent on clients to pay us and from that we will pay you. You will receive your payment as a check made out to you.

What type of projects can I expect to be working on?

We will work with a wide variety of clients to bring you work. You can expect a mixture of major networks, non profits, governmental work, independent projects, advertising, music videos and much more. Bear in mind some of the projects are geographically specific, but we will do our best to spread the work out evenly throughout the community.

You call this a cooperative — are there ways I can get leadership positions?

Yes — it is possible for you to become a curator through a multitude of channels — some yet to be discovered. Primarily — everytime you do something to bring work to the community, educating another producer on how to do better work or coming up with ideas for creative projects and seeking ways to get your vision accomplished, you are taking a leadership position.

Why are you doing this?

For the producing community, we are doing this because we feel that there are so many talented people all over the world who are not able to access the type of work that is out there. It’s hard to get traction in the media world; we strive to be that open door for producers. For the clients, we hope that our community will provide them with simple solutions to their vast production needs.

Can I invite my friends to join?

Of course! This is our favorite way to get more producers into the community. While we trust your judgment, your friends will still need to go through the same application process you did so that we can make sure they’re the perfect fit for our community.

What is IB5k?

The easiest way to understand this is IB5k is the STORE FRONT, Schmooru is the Kitchen with the stuff is made. Creatives need space to be themselves and be sloppy so we created Schmooru so people wouldn’t have to worry about pissing off customers while doing the dirty work of trying to create something. Conversely, we deal with a lot of government, non profits and legacy media types who deserve our respect and IB5k does that for them. IB5k also includes a software development division and a new media strategy unit that are good things to be associated with. IB5K LLC is the parent company of Schmooru, registered in Delware — so there.

What’s this I hear about getting a share of the company?

By joining Schmooru.com you will start the process to be given consideration to be given a share of our company. We extend this appreciation towards those who do the best work, provide the most benefit for the community and in general are the types of people who make Schmooru a special place.

How soon till I get work?

Here is the thing to keep in mind. We all want work for all of you — but it won’t happen all at once. There will be opportunities put through our system all the time, but it really depends on a number of factors like are you interested in the work being presented AND are you the right person for the job. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please write one of your nearest curators. Curators are always happy to strategize with you on how to get more work for yourself and for the community — that’s what they’re here for.

Will I get rich through Schmooru?

Anything truly is possible — you never know who you’ll meet in prison, conversely, you never know who you’ll meet through Schmooru. But if your aim to get rich, first and foremost, this may not be the place for you. While we do want to find gainful employment for as many folks as possible as often as we can — our first priority is to build community and cooperation first. If this doesn’t get you jazzed up, we have a feeling you won’t make too many friends here anyway (and once we’ve got each other and we’re in it for the right reasons, no awful project can deter us).

Are there standardized rates for work?

No. And to be honest, you probably don’t want there to be. It depends on the client — what type of work you want to do and what your level of experience is. What is standardized is our rate of honesty — we will be upfront with everything we know and you should feel free to ask as many questions as you want to. Honesty is not only the best policy, at Schmooru its the only one — we’re too busy for anything else and so are you.

What’s this community fee business?

The community fee that’s taken out of your work pays for the community. That includes all the money that goes into our site, its upkeep, your curators salaries and all the costs that go into this. A community fee, in most cases, is taken out of everything that a curator has anything to do with. If you plot together on your own — which we encourage you to do — there is no community fee taken out and you certainly have our blessing.

Schmooru.com devotes resources towards the encouragement of creative producers to do what they do best: take chances, create, and feel free in doing so.
Creative work and freedom with our art is what binds us. If you’re a producer or director, drop us a line and join us!